Feed table



March 8, 1966 E. M. SPRINGER FEED TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 16, 1964 I NVEN TOR.

EDWARD M SPRINGER BY W,o@m,@/ZW 65 March 8, 1966 E. M. SPRINGER 3,239,212

FEED TABLE Filed March 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 53 74 .SPRINGEFZ United States Patent 3,239,212 FEED TABLE Edward M. Springer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Heyer Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 352,035 9 Claims. (Cl. 271-19) The present invention relates to a feed table, and more particularly a feed table adapted for use in conjunction with such machines as duplicating machines, folding machines, and similar machines.

. Abroad object of the present invention is to provide a new feed table having certain novel features of construction.

Another object is to provide a feed table of the foregoing character which is of extremely simple construction, and correspondingly more economical.

The invention relates more particularly to a feed table of the foregoing character which includes a pair of fingers which overlie the front corners of a stack of sheets placed on the feed table for feeding into the duplicating machine, these fingers resting on the stack of papers, and lowering as the stack is depleted, and serving to control the feeding of the sheets off of the feed table so that only a single sheet is so fed at a time. The construction furthermore includes a center post which is positionable in front of the stack of sheets so that it will serve as an abutment means for engagement by the stack of sheets in placing the latter on the feed table for properly positioning the sheets. The fingers and center post are incorporated in an assembly that is raised and lowered together, and the invention is directed to improvements in this broad feature which is disclosed and claimed in my prior patent, No. 3,029,074, dated April 10, 1962.

A more specific object, therefore, of the present invention s to provide novel means for raising the assembly above referred to.

The invention of the prior patent referred to above includes means for raising the assembly mentioned, that is arranged generally under the feed table. The present invention includes an improvement over that prior invention in the form of means for raising that assembly that is mounted entirely over the feed table, resulting in a simpler mechanism.

Still another object is to provide manually actuatable means for raising the control fingers of a feed ta-ble, having novel construction and operation whereby upon release of the force raising them, they are permitted to immediately lower into operative position, thereby eliminating the disadvantage of inadvertently attempting to use the device with the fingers raised out of operative position as in the case of other kinds of devices where another deliberate maneuver is required to lower the fingers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a feed table embodying the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom View of the table, showing the right-hand portion of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the lower right-hand corner of the table of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but with certain of the elements in a different position;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the feed table;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken at line 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken at line 7-7 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a front view of the table;

FIGURE 9 is a view taken at line 9'9 of FIGURE 5 on an enlarged scale; and

ice

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9, but showing certain of the elements in different positions.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, attention is directed first to FIGURE 1, showing the feed table of the invention in plan view. The feed table includes a panel 12 having a generally flat table top 14 surrounded by a depending flange 16 (see FIGURES 2, 5 and 6). The table has a leading end 18 which is introduced into the duplicating machine in a manner indicated in FIGURE 1 of my prior patent above referred to. The front end 18 is provided with apertures 20 (FIGURE 8) in the flange portion 16a at that end, which are adapted to receive pins 66 of that patent, and the side portions 16b of the flange are inserted into clips or brackets 64 of that patent, and thereby the feed table is held in position, and the stack of copy sheets are fed therefrom into the machine, as fully described in that patent.

Mounted on the feed table are a pair of side rails 22 and 24 of opposite and symmetrical construction, each preferably in the form of an angle, including a lower horizontal leg 26 lying flat on the table top, and a vertical flange 30 rising therefrom at the outer edge thereof. These side rails extend fore and aft substantially the full length of the table, and are slidable transversely toward and away from each other for accommodating copy sheets of different widths. These side rails are normally retained in set position by friction established by releasable clamp means 34 (FIG. 2) of known kind. The clamp means have portions extending upwardly through respective transverse slots 36 in the table top, where they are secured to the side rails, and in which they work in the transverse movements of the side rails.

Each side rail has a vertical flange portion 38 detached from the main flange 30 and disposed outwardly therebeyond. The horizontal legs 26 terminate forwardly adjacent the rear edge of a transverse slot 42 formed in the table top adjacent the front end thereof for purposes of receiving the fingers referred to above and other elements, as will be described hereinbelow. The portion of the table top 1411 forwardly of the slot 42 may serve as protection for the elements working in the slot, and also as a strengthening means for the front flange portion 16a.

Provided at the forward end of the table, and mounted at least partially in the vertical flanges 38 is an assembly 44 which includes the fingers referred to above for controlling the release of the copy sheets from the feed table. This assembly includes a transverse rod 46, finger members 48 and 50 and a center post 52. The transverse rod 46 extends through vertical keyhole slots 53, one in each of the front vertical flanges 38, and having an enlarged portion 54 at the top and extending downwardly in an extension 56 in the forward flanges 38, which project down through the transverse slot 42. The rod 46 and the main portions of the slot 53 are so dimensioned as to permit free sliding movement therebetween in both the transverse adjusting movements of the side rails and the vertical movements of the rod, the latter of which are provided as will be described hereinbelow.

The finger members 48 and 50 are opposite and symmetrical, and a description of one will serve for both. Each finger member has a body of U-shape in plan view having apertured arms 60 and 62 slidably receiving the transverse rod 46. The web portion 64 of this body has a finger element 66 at the top thereof extending generally rearwardly, but inclined upwardly, and positioned for engagement with the top sheet of a stack of sheets placed on the feed table. The operation of these finger elements 66 is disclosed in my prior patent referred to above, but it is to be pointed out that each includes a diagonal edge 68 which extends across the corner of the sheets, as will be referred to again hereinbelow.

On each finger member of the flange 60 at one side is extended upwardly, with a pin or stud 70 secured thereon which projects through the slot 53 and, together with the transverse rod 46 maintains the finger member in the desired vertical postion in the vertical movements thereof. The pin 70 has a first collar 72 butted to the flange 60, a second collar 74 spaced therefrom forming a first groove 76, and a locking ring 78 spaced from the collar 74 forming a second groove 80. The pin is dimensioned for sliding movement in the main narrow portion of the slot 53, but the collars 72, 74 and ring 78 are of diameter greater than the width of the slot. However, the collar 74 is dimensioned for movement through the enlarged portion 54 of the slot, and by reason of this feature the finger members 48 and 50 can be moved between the positions shown in FIGS. 9 and to outer and inner positions respectively. In the outer position shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, the diagonal edge 68 of the finger element lies across the corner of the copy sheets lying on the feed table, herein identified as 80, the corners 82 thereof in this case being square. Howefer, the arrangement is adapted to accommodate copy sheets 84 (FIG. 4) having rounded corners 86, and for this purpose the finger members are adjusted to inner positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 10. In the outer position, the inner groove 76 receives the marginal edges of the groove 53, while in the inner position the outer grooves 80 receive the marginal edges of the slot.

The center post 52, while shown square in cross-section, may be of any of various shapes, such as rectangular, or it may be a thin flat piece, etc. It receives the transverse rod 46 through an aperture adjacent its upper end. Its lower end is also apertured and receives one turned-over leg 88 (FIGS. '2 and 8) of a lever 90, at the other end of which is a turned-over leg 92 pivotally mounted in lugs 94 struck down from the table top 14. Upon the raising and lowering movements of the assembly 44, the lever 90 and post 52 serve to stabilize the assembly 44. When shaped as a thin flat piece, it may have one or more tabs for each of the apparatuses mentioned.

The lower horizontal flanges 26 and 28 are provided with apertures 96 to receive feed wheels such as 38 shown in my prior patent referred to, and the table top is provided with a transverse trough 98 for receiving those feed wheels after the last sheet is fed from the table and the wheels are permitted to drop through the apertures in an operation which shuts off the feeding machine. Preferably, friction elemens 100 are provided on the lower horizontal legs 26 to retard sliding movements of the bottom sheet when others are stacked on that sheet.

The means for raisin-g the assembly 44 includes a lever 102, mounted at one side of the feed table, such as on the outer side of the flange on the side rail 24. It is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends by a pin 104 mounted in the vertical flange 30. At its rear end is a thumb piece 106 and its forward end extends forwardly and through the gap between the flanges 30 and 38, its front end abutting against the inner surface of the flange 38. Its front end is forked, as shown at 108, receiving the collars 72 and 74 on the corresponding finger member 50. In the outer position, for example, of the finger member 50 the forked portion 108 receives the inner collar 72, this collar in such position butting against the inner surface of the flange 40, and the forked portion 108 of the lever being interposed between the flange 60 of the finger member 50 and the flange of the side rail. When the finger member is adjusted to inner position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 10, the forked portion 108 receives the outer collar 74, and remains butted against the flange 38 of the side rail.

A single lever 102 is provided, there being no necessity for two such levers such as one at each of opposite sides, the single lever effectively raising the assembly 44. The center post 54 and its securement by means of the pivoted lever 90 serves to stabilize the transverse rod 46 and the entire assembly. Similarly, the engagement of the pins in the slot 53 in both side rails serves to stabilize the assembly, it being understood that the marginal edges of the slot 53 are confined between the collars 72 and 74 or between the collar 74 and the outer ring 78, and in either case tending to maintain the transverse rod 46 and thus the assembly in true and level position.

Preferably the portions of the lever 102 forwardly and rearwardly of the pivot means 104 are balanced so that the lever does not affect the descent by gravity of the assembly which includes the center post 52, rod 46 and finger members 48 and 50, but if any imbalance should exist, it should be in the direction of the forward portion being heavier than the rearward portion.

In the use of the table, the operator merely places his thumb on the thumb piece 106 and depresses it. rocking the lever and raising the assembly, and with the other hand places the stack of sheets on the table. With the assembly in raised position, and the post 54 therefore also in raised position, the operator moves the stack of sheets forwardly until it engages that post. The side rails 22 and 24 are then adjusted inwardly, if they were not at that time properly positioned, until the side vertical flanges 30 engage the side edges of the stack of sheets. Upon release of the lever by the operator, and lowering of the assembly 44, the finger elements 66 lower onto the sheets and support the assembly 44 against lowering, but upon depletion of the stack of sheets the finger elements also lower, and this results in lowering of the assembly 44.

With the lever balanced about its axis, as is preferred as mentioned above, it functions as a finger tip control, i.e., only the slightest pressure is required on the thumb piece 106 to raise the assembly including the fingers, post and rod, and upon release of the lever, that assembly easily and readily lowers under its own weight, without hindrance by the lever, except the vary small force required to rock the lever. This construction virtually eliminates sticking of the movable parts in raised position, which has been found to be a serious disadvantage in practical operation of feed tables heretofore known.

While I have shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that changes may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character disclosed, a feed table having a pair of force-and-aft side rails movable laterally toward and from each other, finger members mounted relative to the side rails so that they are movable laterally with the side rails and in themselves movable vertically relative to the side rails, said fingers having finger elements operative for engaging and resting on the front corners of the top sheet of the stack of copy sheets placed on the feed table when the side rails are positioned in confining engagement with the side edges of the copy sheets, and manually operable means mounted above the feed table for movement laterally thereover with one of said side rails and having operative connection with the finger members and upon actuation being operative for raisin-g said finger members, said finger members being normally biased downwardly by gravity.

2. The invention set out in claim 1 wherein said manually operable means includes a lever pivotally mounted on one of said side rails at a point intermediate its ends with the forward end operably connected with said finger members.

3. In a device of the character disclosed, a feed table adapted for mounting in a machine such as a duplicating machine for placing a stack of copy sheets thereon and for feeding the copy sheets therefrom into the duplicating machine, the combination comprising means solely at the leading end of the feed table for controlling release of the copy sheets from the feed table and including a transverse rod extending the greater part of the width of the table, means mounting the rod for vertical sliding movements, finger members on said rod adjacent the leading end of the stack of sheets and adapted to engage the face of the uppermost sheet of the stack at the side edges of the sheet, a post connected with the rod between the fingers and movable vertically with the rod and fingers and when in raised position forming stop means engaged by the leading edge of a substantial number of the copy sheets of the stack, said trans-verse rod, said finger members and said post forming an assembly movable vertically in unison, and pivotally movable means disposed entirely above the table and engageable with said transverse rod adjacent one of said finger members thereon and operative for elevating said rod and thereby raising said assembly.

4. The invention set out in claim 3 wherein a lever is provided under the table having its forward end pivotally mounted in the lower end of said post and its rear end pivotally mounted on said table, and responsively movable with and by said post and said rod for stabilizing said assembly in the vertical movements of the latter, said post extending downwardly through an opening in said table.

5. The invention set out in claim 2 wherein the portions of said lever cforwardly and rearwardly of its pivot point are substantially equal in weight.

6. The invention set out in claim 5 wherein said side guides have vertically extending slots therein, and the ends of said transverse rod are :guidingly received in said slots.

7. The invention set out in claim 6 wherein said vertical slots in the side guides are in the shape of keyhole slots having enlargements at their upper ends, said finger members each have pins guidingly received in said vertical slots at points above said transverse rod and said pins and transverse rod operate to maintain said finger members in the same predetermined vertical position throughout the full extent of movement of the finger members in the vertical movements of said assembly.

8. The invention set out in claim 7 wherein said finger members are slidable transversely on said transverse rod and have confining engagement in said vertical slots in said side guides and are movable transversely with the movements of said side guides, and each finger member has a pin extending through the respective vertical slot in the side guide and has spaced collars thereon defining a pair of intermediate grooves, an intermediate one of said collars having a diameter greater than the narrow main portion of said vertical slot but being insertable through the enlarged top portion of the slot whereby the finger members can be adjusted to respectively outer and inner positions in which one or the other of said grooves therein receives the marginal edges of the vertical main portion of said vertical slot.

9. The invention set out in claim 8 wherein said lever has a fork at its forward end receiving said pin of the corresponding finger member and having a space therein capable of receiving said collars.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,029,074 4/1962 Springer 271-52 X M. HENSON WOOD, 1a., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DISCLOSED, A FEED TABLE HAVING A PAIR OF FORCE-AND-AFT SIDE RAILS MOVABLE LATERALLY TOWARD AND FROM EACH OTHER, FINGER MEMBERS MOUNTED RELATIVE TO THE SIDE RAILS SO THAT THEY ARE MOVABLE LATERALLY WITH THE SIDE RAILS AND IN THEMSELVES MOVABLE VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO THE SIDE RAILS, SAID FINGERS HAVING FINGER ELEMENTS OPERATIVE FOR ENGAGING AND RESTING ON THE FRONT CORNERS OF THE TOP SHEET OF THE STACK OF COPY SHEETS PLACED ON THE FEED TABLE WHEN THE SIDE RAILS ARE POSITIONED IN CONFINING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDE EDGES OF THE COPY SHEETS, AND MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS MOUNTED ABOVE THE FEED TABLE FOR MOVEMENT LATERALLY THEREOVER WITH ONE OF SAID SIDE RAILS AND HAVING OPERATIVE CONNECTION WITH THE FINGER MEMBERS AND UPON ACTUATION BEING OPERATIVE FOR RAISING SAID FINGER MEMBERS, SAID FINGER MEMBERS BEING NORMALLY BIASED DOWNWARDLY BY GRAVITY. 